Thanksgiving 101: Stuffing

Have you thought about Thanksgiving yet?  What types of dishes will you be preparing?  Maybe you are the big host(ess) this year or perhaps someone else is hosting and you were asked to bring a dish to share.  Whatever your role is this year for Thanksgiving, I would imagine there is at least a little bit of cooking in your future.  


I thought I would do a series of posts dedicated to Thanksgiving dishes - I'm calling it Thanksgiving 101.  If you have been struggling with what to make for Thanksgiving, perhaps one of these dishes will inspire you.  I will try to cover all of your basics: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and maybe a few additional side-dishes.


Today I am going to start with stuffing or as others may call it, dressing.  Stuffing is a very sensitive side dish.  Some people have a stuffing recipe that has been in their families for years - some put it in the bird, some bake it in a casserole dish, some like sweet things like raisins and cranberries, while others prefer a more savory stuffing, some like a sourdough bread stuffing, while others believe there is nothing better than a good cornbread stuffing.  


Growing up, my family changed our stuffing recipe every couple years; however recently we have come across a stuffing that may be here to stay.  Try Chef Paul Prudhomme's Cornbread Dressing this holiday season and let me know what you think - do you think it might become a permanent part of your Thanksgiving repertoire?  I have a feeling it might!

Chef Paul Prudhomme's Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients: 

2 tsp. salt

1.5 tsp white pepper

½ tsp. ground red pepper

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 lb. butter

4 Tablespoons margarine

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

2 bay leaves

2 cups chopped mushrooms

1 cup chicken stock

1.5 tsp. tabasco sauce (up to 1 tablespoon depending on your love of spicy food)

3 Jiffy Cornbread mixes (prepared according to package directions), crumbled

1 can evaporated milk

3 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Make cornbread at least a day ahead. Mix seasoning ingredients and set aside. In large skillet, melt butter and margarine. Stir in onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook over high heat for two minutes, stirring. Add seasoning mix.  Cook, stirring, two minutes. Stir in stock, mushrooms and tabasco. Cook five minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in cornbread, eggs, milk. Spoon dressing into 13"x9" pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. 

Enjoy!